Shore Fire Media Opens Los Angeles Office

Ally Norton

Shore Fire Media has announced the opening of a Los Angeles office this week on the ninth floor of The Desmond Building in the city’s Miracle Mile District. The new location will be helmed by Ally Norton, a graduate of Boston College who has worked with Shore Fire since 2015, handling campaigns for Melissa Etheridge, Margaret Glaspy, Grizzly Bear, Tash Sultana, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Lee Ann Womack, Pussy Riot’s Nadya and others. The Los Angeles outpost joins Shore Fire’s New York headquarters and Nashville outpost, which opened in 2013 and expanded into a new Music Row location last year.

“Los Angeles has been a second home to many of our staff of late as our West Coast work and roster have grown,” says president Marilyn Laverty. “We’re thrilled that our outstanding publicist and executive Ally Norton will be in charge of our new LA operation.”

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to represent Shore Fire Media on the West Coast,” Norton says. “I’m so excited to be here, and I look forward to expanding Shore Fire’s presence in LA’s amazing music community.”

Los Angeles Lawyer Michael Rexford Elevated To Partner at Manatt Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Michael Rexford

Music lawyer Michael Rexford has been promoted to partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, in the firm’s Los Angeles entertainment and media practice. Rexford had previously held the position of counsel since he joined the firm in 2012 from Universal Music Publishing Group, where he had served as vice president of business affairs. In December, Rexford’s representation of Kobalt Music Group—alongside Jeff Biederman, co-chair of Manatt’s music practice—made headlines when Kobalt finalized a $150 million acquisition of Songs Music Publishing.

Warner Bros. Records Names Laura Swanson To Senior Management Team

Laura Swanson

Veteran music executive Laura Swanson will join Warner Bros. Records (WBR) as Executive Vice President, Media & Strategic Development, effective Jan. 22. This marks the first major appointment by WBR Co-Chairman & COO Tom Corson, who started at the label Jan. 2. Swanson will report to Corson and will oversee media strategy for Warner Bros.’ genre-spanning roster of artists.

Swanson was most recently EVP, Media & Strategic Development at Epic Records, working with artists such as Meghan Trainor. Her previous stops include Island Def Jam, Interscope/Geffen/A&M and Arista Records.

“I am thrilled to join Tom Corson and the amazing Warner Bros. Records’ team in this new adventure,” said Swanson. “With Tom’s leadership, expertise, creative genius and proven track record combined with the label’s new artistic vision and all the amazing artists who call Warner Bros. home, I predict magic is on the horizon. I truly appreciate Tom for bringing me on board and look forward to next week’s electrifying Grammy celebration and many successful years at Warner Bros. Records.”

“Laura is one of the most admired and experienced communications execs in our business, with outstanding relationships throughout the artistic and media communities,” said Corson. “As our industry continues its rapid evolution, the media landscape is constantly shifting, and Laura has always taken the lead in placing her artists and her labels at the forefront of the most innovative avenues of exposure and development. Our working paths have crossed twice during our careers, at A&M and later at Arista, so I am especially happy to welcome her to the Warner Bros. team at this exciting time in the label’s history.”

Grammy-nominated writer/producer Tyler Johnson is prepping a new album with the release of the single, “Give Up On Me,” out Jan. 19. Johnson is jointly signed to a publishing deal with Creative Nation and Pulse Music Group.

Most notably, Johnson teamed with Grammy-winning Producer of the Year Jeff Bhasker to produce the debut album for country music artist Cam. In addition to co-writing Cam’s smash single “Burning House” Johnson co-wrote and produced her current single “Diane.”

Johnson’s work also extends to Keith Urban, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, OneRepublic, Ed Sheeran and producing Harry Styles‘ self-titled 2017 debut album–which he penned nine of the 10 tracks—as well as writing and producing “One Last Song” and “Palace” from Sam Smith’s album, The Thrill Of It All.

The Oak Ridge Boys are back with a brand new Lightning Rods Records project 17th Avenue Revival, produced by Dave Cobb, which will be released on March 16.

This is the group’s second project with Cobb, who produced the Oaks’ The Boys Are Back album in 2009. Vince Gill, Ashley Monroe, Jamey Johnson, and Brandy Clark all penned tracks on the new album, recorded at Studio A on 17th Avenue in Nashville. Cobb’s vision included no vocal stacking and very few overdubs during production. For two of the songs, the Boys gathered around one microphone and let the harmonies shine on the new collection.

“Dave brought music with spirit and a magical feel to the studio. It became a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual revival for The Oak Ridge Boys,” says the group’s William Lee Golden.

“Having been in The Oak Ridge Boys for almost 52 years,” says Duane Allen, “it can be difficult for me to imagine a place where we have not been. However, Dave Cobb had that vision, and the result is 17th Avenue Revival.”

“Legendary Studio A on 17th Avenue South became a special, almost spiritual place, and for a few weeks it served as a beacon of creativity,” says Allen.

The group will tour in support of the new album this year on their Shine the Light Tour.

17th Avenue Revival Track Listing
1. Brand New Star (Aaron Raitiere & Mando Saenz)
2. There Will Be Light (Jamey Johnson, Larry Shell & Buddy Cannon)
3. God’s Got It (Charlie Jackson)
4. I’d Rather Have Jesus (Rhea Miller & George Beverly Shea)
5. Walk In Jerusalem (Traditional /Public Domain)
6. Where He Leads Me I Will Follow (Ernest W. Blandy / Public Domain)
7. Pray To Jesus (Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally)
8. If I Die (Ashley Monroe & Vince Gill)
9. Let It Shine On Me (Vince Gill & Ashley Monroe)

Ashley McBryde is gearing up for the release of her debut album, Girl Going Nowhere on March 30. Produced and mixed by Jay Joyce, the project showcases McBryde’s keen storytelling ability on songs like “A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega,” a No. 1 on Sirius XM’ The Highway Top 30, and the autobiographical title track, which she penned the morning Guy Clark passed away.

“I’m not a pretty crier, and I got to my write with Jeremy Bussey that morning, red and blotchy,” she said. “So, he said, ‘for Guy, maybe we should write a good song, one you’d want to play at the Opry someday.’ So, I told the story of when I was back in Algebra class, and we were going around the room saying what we wanted to do when we grew up. When it got to me, I said, ‘I’m going to move to Nashville and write songs, and they’re going to be on the radio.’ The teacher looked at me and said, ‘That won’t happen and you better have a good backup plan.’ It didn’t put the fire out, it just added to it.”

A new video for the track “American Scandal” is also available at all digital retail and streaming services today. McBryde will join Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert on tour in 2018, and will make her TV debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Tuesday (Jan. 23) on NBC.